Clause 5
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
David Kidney (PPS (Rt Hon David Miliband, Secretary of State), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Stafford, Labour)
In a genuine spirit of considering the hon. Gentleman’s point about whether there is a middle ground, I note that in the Mental Health Act 1983 treatability is a test for two conditions, but not for two others. If we were to return to focusing on benefit to the patient as the overriding aim, rather than treatment that alleviates or prevents a deterioration in a condition, might that be a potential way to reach the sort of compromise about which the hon. Gentleman is talking?